Monthly Archives

Syndicate

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Oak Tree: STABLE NOTES Sunday, Oct. 17

BAFFERT SEEKS TO REPEAT IN GOODMAN, ANOAKIA

Two-year-olds will be in the spotlight at Hollywood Park next weekend with two featured $55,000-added six-furlong stakes on Cushion Track: the Jack Goodman Saturday and the Anoakia for fillies on Sunday.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who won the Goodman last year with Macias and the Anoakia with Crisis of Spirit, will again be in the thick of the action.

Baffert said Sunday that, pending works this week, he would probably enter two of the trio of Alienation, Blazing Along and May Day Rose in the Anoakia and possibly Awesome Patriot in the Goodman.

Baffert seeks a third victory in each stake. He seeks to tie Tommy Doyle and Ron McAnally atop the Anoakia standings and D. Wayne Lukas atop the Goodman list.

Alienation finished eighth in the Oak Leaf Stakes October 3 after a pair of seconds sprinting in the Spinaway and Adirondack stakes at Saratoga. May Day Rose broke her maiden at second asking at Del Mar. Blazing Along, a maiden with three starts, worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 here Sunday.

Awesome Patriot won first time out over Cushion Track on October 9. Martin Garcia has first call for Baffert in both races.

Other Anoakia nominees include Gone Rebel (Patrick Valenzuela), Hanakkuh and Tales In Excess, who worked four furlongs in 48 for the Jerry Hollendorfer stable. Hanakkuh worked five furlongs in 1:04.80 for Janet Armstrong.

Baffert said that his current Breeders’ Cup lineup includes Lookin at Lucky and Richard’s Kid in the Classic, E Z’s Gentleman in the Sprint, A Z Warrior in the Juvenile Fillies and Gabby’s Golden Gal in the Filly & Mare Sprint. Gabby’s Golden Gal worked six furlongs in 1:12.80.

SPECIAL SADDLE HELPS ZENYATTA

Unbeaten superstar Zenyatta attracted about 25 fans to her stable Sunday morning after galloping on the training track under exercise rider Steve Willard for the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs November 6, the 6-year-old mare’s finale in quest of her 20th victory.

One of her many rooters is Jimmy Duggan, who was responsible for a special saddle that she has worn in her last 16 wins.

“She needed a special saddle because of her high withers,” explained Duggan, steeplechase analyst for TVG. “The old saddle was pinching her.

“I called the Wicks Tack Shop in Lambourn, England, to have a special saddle made for her,” continued Duggan.

The saddle made a circuitous route to the John Shirreffs stable here. “The saddle was sent to Newmarket, then to Dover, then to Calais, then to Luxemburg, and finally to quarantine at Hollywood Park,” said Duggan of the trip in 2008. “It got here after her third start.”

Zenyatta, who won the Lady’s Secret Stakes here on October 2 in her last start, is scheduled to work Friday.

HIBAAYEB REMAINS HERE FOR TURF ASSIGNMENT

Hibayeeb, the English import who won the Grade I $250,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes here October 2 for Godolphin Racing, has remained at Hollywood Park with exercise rider and assistant Jo Hunnam in the Eoin Harty stable.

“It all depends on the ground,” said Hunnam of the decision to make her next start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Churchill Downs on November 5.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor shipped the 3-year-old filly here a week before the Yellow Ribbon because of her affinity for firm turf. If there was a likelihood of soft turf in Kentucky for the Breeders’ Cup, the filly would probably run in a stake here next month, possibly the Hollywood Turf Cup (G1) on Nov. 13.

BIRTHDAY WEEK FOR JOCKEY COLONY

Bake the cakes--but not with too many calories--for birthday celebrations for the local jockey colony this week.

Trainer Carl O’Callaghan said Breeders’ Cup Sprint aspirant Kinsale King was in good order in his barn here Sunday after shipping to Fresno Saturday for a work on a dirt track.

“We worked between the second and third races,” said O’Callaghan, who was aboard. “He officially went five furlongs in 59 (seconds) breezing and galloped out in 1:10 and two. He got over the track real well.’’

O’Callaghan said the 5-year-old gelding left here at 2:30 a.m. Saturday and returned at 9:30 p.m. He said Kinsale King was “good this morning” before a scheduled weekly visit from a chiropractor.

“He works again here Saturday, then another three-eighths here, and we ship on the 31st,” said O’Callaghan of the Vernon Underwood, Palos Verdes Handicap and Golden Shaheen Stakes winner. He said that Garrett Gomez has the Breeders’ Cup call on November 6.

FINISH LINES--Trainer Jamie Lloyd, celebrating his first graded stakes win with longshot Fantastic Pick in the $150,000 Grade II Oak Tree Derby Saturday, said the 3-year-old gelding would probably return in the $250,000 Grade I Hollywood Derby here November 28. French invader Blue Panis, who finished a nose back after setting most of the pace, will remain here and be pointed to the Sir Beaufort Stakes at Santa Anita on December 26, according to trainer Fabrice Chappel…Beverly D winner Éclair de Lune worked a mile on the turf in 1:40.47 for Ron McAnally prepping for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on November 5 at Churchill Downs….Despite morning showers, 184 horses worked on Cushion Track…Among notables, Kentucky Oaks and Alabama Stakes winner Blind Luck worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 for the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic; Oak Tree Mile winner Liberian Freighter worked four furlongs in 50.40 for the California Cup Mile on October 30; Goggles McCoy worked five furlongs in 1:02.80 for the Cal Cup Sprint; and The Pamplemousse worked six furlongs in 1:13.80 on the comeback trail…Northern California-based trainer Steve Specht said Frank Alvarado would be down to ride defending champion Lady Railrider in the Cal Cup Matron and Luckarack in the Cal Cup Juvenile.